If Life Had Been Different
by TheWrongJedi
Summary: She made a promise, and Ahsoka planned on keeping that promise- no matter what the Dark Times dragged her through. (Third story in the trilogy to "I know" and "I understand".)
1. Don't Take Warnings Lightly

_"Mr. Tragedy, sir, your presence is a welcomed one._

_For if not you, then life is steady, and that is a bore._

_We love to play games, you and I, Mr. Tragedy, sir._

_And it is a game that goes on, and on._

_Through the years and through the nights._

_Mr. Tragedy, sir, you can stay as long as you like."_

_- "Mr. Tragedy"_

* * *

The first year on Alderaan hadn't been an easy one. It seemed like they all had held their breath and didn't stop to breath until they knew for sure that the Storm Troopers that happened to trek through the mountains for a few weeks were gone. Luckily, Ahsoka always knew how to remain one step ahead of the Empire and they had been able to stay out of it's way. If it hadn't been for the planets blockade that Senator Organa had somehow managed to inform them of they would have left and taken up temporary refuge on some uninhabited star system. For more reasons than that though they had to hold their breath.

Besides the fact that some Jedi had survived- a fact Ahsoka found quite interesting and relieving, but it was also because of the charges agaisnt Lux. News spread fast, especially now, and almost the whole galaxy knew who he was, what he had done, and a fair share of bounty hunters were probably already on their way to hunt him down. Ahsoka had no idea they wanted to have him killed so bad. Oddly enough though, there was nothing on Rex. Ahsoka summed it up to where they didn't want the public thinking that their army was becoming independent and thinking creative thoughts. Still, it didn't mean they weren't still looking for their _traitor_. And Ahsoka's worry... Leia. The first few weeks of living on Alderaan had been spent getting in contact with Bail and getting the Rebel Alliance started, already, and trying to become friends with Breha. Breha was a kind woman but Ahsoka couldn't help but notice the looks she received from Leia's step mother. It might be the fact that Leia seemed to light up whenever she was near that had Breha frown, or it could've been for the reason that jealousy stemmed and Breha was already nervous for letting another mother figure step in. It shocked Ahsoka that Breha could think such things- and never would Ahsoka try to replace Breha... Ahsoka didn't even know the first thing about being a mother. Bail, Breha's husband, and a person Ahsoka found herself becoming friends with had explained that they had tried to have children several times but it always ended in miscarriage.

After this, Ahsoka had taken it upon herself to visit Lelia during the night.

Months later and life had started to become more normal for all three of them. Ahsoka was a welcomed presence in the Royal House and suprisingly- Bail Organa was a person easy to get along with. She'd met him before, times when she was with Padmé but never had she formed any personal relationship because war time demanded other things. Lux managed a steady "under the radar" life and was doing secret missions for the Rebel Alliance, he was often away and Ahsoka found she became immensely distressed without him with her. She sometimes wondered if that's how Padmé felt when Anakin had been away for so long.

And Rex...

He wasn't adjusting quite as well as Ahsoka wanted, feeling it was a phase she didnt let it bother her too much, but he was managing. Rex was, after all, a clone. He was bred to fight and in such a life-changing tempo of chaos it was probably all very overwhelming for him.

It had been overwhelming for everyone, really.

Three years, Ahsoka mused, went by and it brought them to the present. Leia was talking in full sentences now and was starting to refer to Ahsoka as 'Soka. She couldn't help but have a smile on her face every time- the child was really her only source of happiness in these Dark Times. She was walking now, and was quite the handful. Breha was starting to becoming a friendly figure, and was more open with the idea of Ahsoka being around. Kindly though, Breha asked that the Force not be used in front of Leia. It was understandable and Ahsoka hadn't planned on doing so anyway. Neither of them wanted this already hyperactive child learning new tricks and being found by the Emperor. And lightsabers were left at home- it was too risky being seen with them in public anyway. The night routine was still one that Ahsoka stuck to though. Leia was always fast asleep by the time moonlight fell and Ahsoka had scaled the palace wall to her room. There was a rocking chair next to her bed- Ahsoka found it bittersweet in a way for Padmé had a rocking chair in the baby's room on Naboo as well- and Ahsoka would sit in it and watch Leia sleep. The tiny menace had such Force potential- Ahsoka hated that thoughts of what the future could have been like constantly popped up in her head. Leia might never even know she had a brother...

Tonight, as Ahsoka made her way to Leia's room, the Force sent her a warning. It almost made her go into a panic because for three whole years nothing like that had happened and it left a sickening feeling in her gut. Nothing seemed out of place though... strange. Ahsoka stayed on high alert as she progressed towards the palace.

As always, Leia was asleep and snoring softy- blankets kicked off of her form and pooling on the floor. She always did this, and Ahsoka had to continuously wrap the shivering girl back up in the sheets. Leia would always be sound asleep when she did this- so to Ahsoka's great surprise, her eyes fluttered open and she incoherently asked "Mama?"

Ahsoka froze, she knew it was only a matter of time before she realized it wasn't Breha and found her standing hunched over her bed- putting the bed sheets back over her half asleep form.

"'Soka?" She asked excitedly, realizing who it was and sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes with her tiny fists.

Ahsoka smiled and let the bed sheets fall back onto the bed and sat beside the small child. It pained her somewhat how alike her and Padmé looked.

"It's me." Ahsoka whispered, rubbing the girls face gently. "I came to wish you goodnight."

"I thought you left." She said, shooting out of bed before Ahsoka could grab her and flipping on the lights.

"Now, Leia..." Ahsoka whispered, hands on hips as Leia came back and smiled at her sweetly. "It's past your bed time. That smile of yours only works on daddy."

Leia shrugged and looked at her as if she knew something she didn't. Only a three year old Leia could make her feel so uncomfortable with that kind of look.

"What?" Ahsoka asked, tickling the girl and having to shush her when her shrieks of laughter increased.

"You always wish me goodnight." She says indifferently and and grabs her toy-stuffed Shaak, making it prance up Ahsoka's arm.

"What do you mean by that?" Ahsoka asked, taken aback somewhat.

"You come here every night, right?" She asks, her big brown eyes hold confusion for a moment.

"...How did you know?" Ahsoka asked, almost worriedly.

"Because you do." She replied as if that was supposed to be the explanation.

Ahsoka watches, slightly stunned, as Leia lays back down and her eyes start to droop.

"I'm tired 'Soka..."

"...Get some sleep than Leia. I'll be back in the morning, ok?"

This had Leia smile sleepily and she nodded as her eyes closed completely and Ahsoka shut off the lights, and jumped from the terrace and into the night.


	2. Her Other Mother

_"There is a girl I know, _

_She lost her Mother long ago._

_How cruel it is,_

_Because it makes her wonder- _

_'What would life be like, if I had my Mother?"_

_- Author Unknown _

* * *

A few days went by and life had gone on in the usual way. Bail had been called away to Coruscant, or as it is now- Imperial City on some business or another. This left Ahsoka with yet another friend gone. Breha was left with the duties of running all of Alderaan's system for his leave and the care of Leia was left in Ahsoka's hands as of now. It was the middle of day- by the gardens. Ahsoka and Leia were walking through patches of flowers towards the lake.

"Soka?" Leia asked, her facial features looked pensive as if she was thinking hard on something.

"Yes?"

"Why don't you look like me?"

This had Ahsoka taken aback somewhat- had Leia really just now noticed they were different species?

"Well, I'm from a different planet. Not everyone in the galaxy looks alike." She tells her, remembering to smile as she talks. The mention of looks has Ahsoka remeber how much taller and how much longer her head-tails have grown- even if it isn't all that much. Leia might be young but she was clever- Ahsoka had it stuck in her mind that the little princess knew more than she was letting on.

"But I thought you were my sister?"

Ahsoka smiled sadly and shook her head. "No, Leia, but I am friends of your parents, and I am your friend."

"My real ones or the ones I have now?"

Ahsoka stopped dead in her tracks at these words and paled.

"What did you just say?"

Leia looked as if she knew she did something wrong but shrugged. Her brown eyes wandered along the marbled walkway for a moment. Ahsoka grabbed the tiny child's arm gently as she tried to walk away.

"Leia what do you mean?" Ahsoka hadn't thought Breha and Bail had told her yet- they said they were going to wait until she was much older.

Leia looked down for a moment as if contemplating something and let out a heavy sigh.

"I think I had a dream, when I was still a baby. The girl was really pretty... but she looked really sad. She was my mommy," A strange expression swept across her face and it suddenly made her look much older than she was. "but I have two mommies... I get confused sometimes 'Soka."

Ahsoka couldn't speak from utter fear at what Leia had just said and had to blink a few times.

"... What did this other mommy look like?" Ahsoka managed to choke out.

Leia thought about this for another moment. "Ya know that painting in the palace of the girl with brown hair?"

Ahsoka nodded her head, remembering it was a portrait of Padmé.

"She looks like that."

Ahsoka let her arm go slack and Leia skipped off. A few seconds time to regain her wits and Ahsoka was beside Leia again.

"Leia why have you never told anyone about this?" Ahsoka asked incredulously, taking hold of the girls small shoulders and stopping her in her tracks.

The statement had Leia come to a hault and ponder it.

"I thought everyone knew..." She said casually, as casually as a three going on four year old could sound.

Leia looked unfazed as Ahsoka's mouth gaped open. "I think we should discuss this with your mommy tonight and with daddy when he gets back home." Ahsoka said, not quite knowing how else to react to this news.

"Mommy knows- I think."

Ahsoka blinked. "What?"

"Mommy knows that I'm not her real daughter... And so does daddy." Leia explained, huffing in boredom.

Ahsoka bit the inside of her cheek, thinking hard. "What do you mean by that Leia?"

"Daddy and Mommy talked about it one day... I don't think they knew I was with them." She looked confused again. "They said _adopted _a lot. Is that what I am 'Soka, adopted?"

Ahsoka had to shut her eyes and breath in and out a few times to get the answer out. Leia might not understand fully, and to make it worse Ahsoka didnt know if it would be right to tell her. "Yes... but it was only because your real mommy couldn't keep you." She tried not to let it show those words hurt her.

"Why couldn't she?" Leia asked. It was a simple question but the answer wasn't so simple.

Ahsoka didn't quite know how to answer it and really didn't know if it was her place to say anything. But Leia's pleading eyes bore into her heart and Ahsoka decided she had no options.

"There were people who wouldn't let her keep you..." Ahsoka said in almost a whisper and Leia looked away- a little sad.

"Why wouldn't they let her keep me? She was a good person."

The way Leia talks about her mother has Ahsoka think she personally knew her.

"It's not really my place to say sweetie. I-I think you should ask daddy or mommy."

"I'm asking you though..."

This has Ahsoka manage a weak laugh because the line that just came out of Leia's mouth resembles something of what Anakin would have once might said.

"Leia," Ahsoka says gently, sighing and shutting her eyes for a moment before crouching down next to her and grabbing her arms. "Your mommy... your real mommy, she- she died when you were born."

Leia stares at her with a completely neutral face and Ahsoka expects a wave of tears to eventually pour out of the girls eyes but she gets nothing but a nod and before Ahsoka knows it Leia is skipping off towards the lake again as if nothing has even happened.

Ahsoka wonders how Leia can be so calm about all of this. Of course- she is three- and feelings a child can have are completely different from what feelings an adult can have. But still- it scares Ahsoka somewhat that Leia could know what she knows. Padmé hadn't been Force sensitive... very strange.

Taking a seat on a bench and watching Leia play in the grass, Ahsoka felt her heart plummet. If only Leia knew... But in a way, Ahsoka wanted her to hold onto that childish wonder and brave front. She was but a child of the Empire... but with hope, not for long.

"I didn't sign up for this Padmé..." She mumbled half-heartedly, looking up into the sky. A string of beeps is what she received in response, and a whistle of a mechanical router.

"Oh, hey Artoo." Ahsoka smiled and patted the droid on the top as he appeared at her side. The astromech quickly caught sight of Leia though, chirped in excitement, and started chasing her around. Leia's shrieks of laughter had Ahsoka smile again.


	3. Loves and Likes

_"Oh, mirror in the sky_

_What is love?"_

_-The Landslide_

* * *

It's not until the night Bail returns home that Ahsoka speaks to him about what Leia had said. He doesn't seem to be deeply troubled by it, if anything he had expected it, and Ahsoka had a feeling it's because he witnessed her birth. But still...

It's a long discussion over the matter and it goes well into the night. An agreement is reached; Breha will be informed of the issue and Leia will not discover what her "dream" was. It saddens Ahsoka in a way she can't explain, maybe because all the Jedi are gone... but after some thought, she realizes she would have made the same decision. Leia can't know, she shouldn't even know a what she knows now.

Ahsoka wonders if she can get in touch with Obi-Wan sometime and try to rekindle what part of her past is left...

Ahsoka would be lying if she said she liked her new life. Nothing had really been going right since all those years ago when she left the Jedi Order. One second life is perfect and then... you blink. Ahsoka learned from that lesson. Don't blink. Never blink. Because once you do it all changes and spirals out of control so fast you don't see what has happened until-

Until you're taking care of someone you once called your best friend's wife's child because she's dead...

Ahsoka soon finds that life had been so much more simple when she wasn't playing mother. Being a Jedi was something she strived to be- and if it hadn't been for the war- Ahsoka realized her life wouldn't have gone the way it had. Master Yoda had said something similar once, something about whatever path you choose leads to another future. Who would've thought leaving the Jedi Order would have resulted in such a mess?

Ahsoka sighed.

Despite everything though, she wouldn't change any of it. If life had been different, Ahsoka probably wouldn't be in the position she was in but despite that- she truly would not change one thing.

"Soka?"

Ahsoka turned from her meditative position to see Leia, with Artoo trailing close behind, running down the marbled path of the garden to her.

"Leia," Ahsoka called warningly. "If you're not careful you'll-"

Leia tripped over her tiny foot and hit the ground with a faint thud._  
_

"Fall..." Ahsoka sighed.

Leia had formed tiny little pools of water in her eyes by the time Ahsoka had reached her, and was clutching her knee like it was a lifeline.

"Ow..." She sniffled, letting Ahsoka pick her up and carry her to the nearest bench.

"Leia..." Ahsoka shook her head and inspected her knee. It was scrapped up and bleeding a bit. Ahsoka frowned. The marble shouldn't have done that to her. Maybe she skidded over to the side or something.

"You can't be running like that. What would your mother do if she saw you misbehaving?"

Leia's tiny face scrunched up in annoyance as Artoo handed Ahsoka a bacta patch.

"I wasn't being bad." She protested, crossing her tiny arms over her chest. "I don't like being a princess, Soka." Leia sniffled, rubbing away what little bit of a tear she had.

"I know," Ahsoka whispered, smiling and rubbing bacta on her knee. "But your mother is going to see this anyway. God's forbid it leave a scar. She'll just throw a fit."

There was a silence as Ahsoka strapped on the patch and then took a seat beside Leia on the bench.

Leia seemed to be gone, sort of. She was staring off into the distance and had a strange look in her eyes. It was times like these Ahsoka was suddenly aware this little girl was Anakin's child and it creeped her out more than she would have liked it to.

"So," Ahsoka cleared her throat. "What did you want to show me Leia?"

She returned, turning her brown eyes in Ahsoka's direction and smiling excitedly, pointing to a spot in her mouth. "I lost my first tooth Soka!"

"Already?"

"Yep! Momma says a lady will come 'night and take my tooth away for me!" She explains, reaching down deep into her pocket with here tiny fist and pulling out a tiny white cube shaped thing- a tooth.

"I see..." Ahsoka inspected the tooth, looking upon it in fascination. She had never lost any teeth when she was young, Togruta didn't do that. They were born with the teeth they had for the rest of their life.

Ahsoka tore her gaze away after awhile. The curiosity in her eyes had vanished and for a small child like Leia- she noticed when something was off.

"Soka," Leia asked, crawling closer to her and sitting hip to hip. "Why do you always seem not happy?"

Ahsoka smiled slightly, despite herself, and rested her hand on Leia's head- rubbing her thumb through her chocolate brown hair.

"It's not always that someone isn't happy Leia, sometimes I just... miss things."

"Like what?" Leia asked, confused.

Ahsoka looked down for a moment and blinked. She missed alot of things. She missed her life before she was accused of murder and then thrown into a world of lie's and being forced to watch as everyone she ever knew started to leave her. But Leia wasn't old enough for such harsh reality. "Like Lux." Ahsoka decided to go with that. "Do you remember Lux? I miss him a lot..."

Ahsoka waited for Leia's response. It had been almost over a year since Lux had left in that ship for his mission. Leia might not remember him at all. She was very young then. She was still very young now.

Leia nodded her head slowly. "I think so. Isn't that the boy you like Soka?"

Ahsoka laughed slightly and hugged Leia closer to her. "I guess you could say that."

"Do you like him like Daddy likes Mommy?"

Ahsoka suddenly felt a tingle run down her spine. Her smile went slack. She hadn't expected such a question to make her so... jittery.

She pursed her lips. "Umm... I do like Lux, Leia. But I don't think I quite like him the way your Dad likes your Mom. There are two different types of likes Leia. There is the one like sisters have... That is the one that belongs to us- you and I have that." Leia grinned and nodded her head in agreement. "But then there is the like in which you call love."

"Love?" Leia asked curiously, trying to associate the word with something she might already know. "I love those sweets the bakers make in the kitchen. Those are good."

Ahsoka chuckled. "It isn't that kind of love, but it's pretty close." She sighed. "But your Mom and Dad have a different kind of love you'll learn about later in life."

"So you love Lux?"

"I- I suppose..." Ahsoka stuttered, shaking her head. She didn't have to take this kind of questioning from a toddler.

"You should go play Leia..." Ahsoka suggested, breathing in heavily and setting Leia down onto the ground. "That's enough life lesson for today."

"Soka," Leia said her name almost sheepishly, her brown eyes looking up at her second guardian in childish wonder. "_I _love you."

It wasn't like it was conformation. Leia expressed how much she loved someone everyday- peppering Breha and Bail and even the butler with hugs and kisses.

"I know." Ahsoka smiled and pulled Leia into a hug. "I know you do."

* * *

**Author's Note: Anybody catch the reference? (Not giving any hints) To your disbelief, this story is going somewhere. It's been awhile... Me and my partner on this story split up for awhile and I was lost. But here we are. And here is the next chapter to this story. Hope you enjoy. I cannot promise this will be updated soon.**


	4. Gray Hairs

_"It won't do much good to question it now,_

_For this is my life, and I shall wear it with a frown."_

_- Author Unknown _

* * *

Their house was small, cozy. It didn't do much good in the winter times but it was sturdy and reliable. It was only one story, but fairly wide for a cottage. Three bedrooms, one fresher, a living room, kitchen, which were all packed together very tightly, and an underground safe area was something they added themselves just incase. A downside to their home was the fact that it was very secluded, giving them no contact with the people of Alderaan. Ahsoka wondered if Bail even knew where they truly lived. But the more that she thought about it, Ahsoka supposed that was for the better. The less people knew her location, the better. It was bad enough her and Rex were as close as they were to the Empire... It could only be a matter of time before the law really sunk in and planets started being invaded and the Senate died away.

A sudden breeze flew past and sent the crunched leaves in Ahsoka's direction. It was almost the time of cold, and on Alderaan, when the leaves started falling, it got _extremly _cold. Snow would fall crom the mountains to the forest until every single thing was coated in a thick layer of white ice. Ahsoka pulled her cloak closer to her body and walked a little faster to the house. For some reason, she sensed that odd feeling again, the one she felt the night Leia had found out about her nightly visits.

Pushing the thought away and refocusing her attention on getting home, Ahsoka spotted the small cream colored rectangle of a house and ran the rest of the distance. "Rex!" Ahsoka called, yanking the door open and throwing off her cloak. "I'm home."

There was no immediate response from him, the house was dead silent infact.

"Rex?" Ahsoka tried again.

"In here!" She heard his deep voice call from the hallway.

Letting the worry wash away, something that wasn't uncommon when it came to Rex's strange new personality that had been brought on ever since they moved here, Ahsoka puffed out a breath and quickly made her way in his direction.

"Was worried there for a second, Rex." She smiled at him when she turned the corner into the bathroom. "You know that we-"

Ahsoka froze dead in her tracks and stared in shock as Rex faced her. He had a blank expression, his eyes drifting from the mirror to her just a second late and his hand falling from his head to his side.

"Rex..." Ahsoka blinked and shook her head. "Your hair-"

"It's graying." He cut her off angrily, turning back to look at his reflection. "It's the growth exceleration, I-I didn't expect it to happen this fast but..." He sighed, dropping his head and grabbing the edge of the sink in exasperation.

Ahsoka was dumbfounded. She knew the clones had some sort of growth rate unlike the regular human, but she didn't know exactly how fast it was. For the past few years she had noticed slight changes in him, but nothing ever concerning enough to worry over.

"Rex, I'm sorry-"

"It isn't your fault." He finished for her quickly and shoved his way out of the bathroom, making Ahsoka wobble slightly on her feet as he stormed for the door.

"Rex," Ahsoka glared. "You don't have to take this out on me, I'm not the one who-"

"No, you're not!" He shouted, spinning on his heel to face her. "You've never done anything! None of this is your fault! All I can convict you of is wallowing in your own self pitty for the last two, three years! You aren't the same person I remember anymore!"

Ahsoka felt her body heat up with fury. "And why do you think that is Rex?"

"No," He shook his head. "You can't keep using that excuse. There are bigger things going on in the galaxy now then something that happened to you years ago!"

"Don't forget you were one of them! You hunted me down and didn't think twice of it! Not until I was proven innocent did anyone say sorry or regret their actions!"

Rex laughed, as if something were actually funny, and then shook his head. "That's where you're wrong Ahsoka. I _did _believe you. The reason my team was never the one to find you first in the Underworld was because I was leading them in the _wrong _direction. I even lied to General Skywalker and told him I spotted you in the complete opposite direction of where you really were."

Ahsoka didn't respond right away. Too angry and too shocked to say anything, she simply stood there wide eyed and let her fists uncurl. Because she knew it was the truth, she turned away from him slightly and tried to contain now jumbled emotions. His eyes searched hers, and when Rex found it apparent he wasn't going to get anything out of his friend, he left, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Ahsoka woke up the next morning to a cold house. Wherever Rex had run off too, he hadn't yet come back. Despite being angry with him, Ahsoka hoped he was alright.

The sun had risen over the mountain by the time she made it to the palace. Ahsoka didn't bother using the front gates to enter, it was too much of a hassle. Instead, she went the way to Leia's room. There was a balcony in Leia's room, and ever since the little child had learned of Ahsoka's sneaking in and out she would purposely leave the doors to it open.

Leia, surprisingly, was already up by the time she made it to her room. She was playing with a toy and sitting on her floor. Before Ahsoka could even say hi though, Leia's head snapped in her direction and she was smiling sleepily.

"Soka!" She said excitedly, jumping up and running in her direction, hugging her legs when in arms reach.

"Good morning, Leia." Ahsoka delicately plucked the child off her body and knelt down. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I knew you'd be coming here." She said, matter-of-fact.

Ahsoka nodded her head and laughed nervously. "No kidding..."


	5. Better a Pirate than a Hutt

_"Oh, Mr. Tragedy,_

_Why is it you torture me?"_

_- "Mr. Tragedy"_

* * *

Even when at the Royal House, Ahsoka didn't spend much time actually _in _the Royal House. The gardens were what really attracted her to the place, not the marble floors of the palace or the dozens of house workers constantly running about- it was all too big of a scene. And likewise, Leia found more harmony in the garden than she did inside as well. There were wide arrangements of flowers, a lake that spread from the garden to the forest, and in the distance, you could faintly see a waterfall pouring down into a stream from the mountains. Ahsoka sometimes wondered if there were any caverns in the mountains.

Sitting with Leia, wondering where Rex was, and thinking about how Lux was doing, Ahsoka hadn't been even slightly aware of Threepio making her way towards her daughter and her.

"CPO!" Leia exclaimed, jumping up and running towards the golden protocol droid.

As fussy as ever, even after the memory wipe, Threepio took on the tone he usually did when correction was in call.

"Now, Miss Leia, you must remember to call people by their _proper _names." The droid explained, fidgeting his way further down the marbled walkway.

"You're just a droid CPO," Leia mumbled, trying to suppress a grin. She knew what she was doing, the mischievous child had spent her short life aggravating the droid to no end. It didn't help that Artoo encouraged and even played in on the games sometimes.

"Just a droid!" He exclaimed, swinging his body of wires and bolts in Leia's direction. "Miss Leia, I'm more than just a droid. I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations, and I-"

"Threepio," Ahsoka sighed. "Did you come out here for a reason?"

"Oh, why yes, Miss Ahsoka! Master Bail is in the library, he sent me to find you. He says you are requested at once. It's very important."

She nodded, following Threepio back inside. Ahsoka heard the tiny patter of Leia's footsteps behind her and felt the worry coursing trough the young child. Something was wrong.

"Leia," Ahsoka looked behind her and motioned for Leia to walk beside her as they entered the palace. "Is something wrong?"

Leia looked up, her big brown eyes were wide and she grabbed Ahsoka's hand.

"Daddy never calls me to someplace unless I'm in trouble. I hope you aren't in trouble Soka."

Ahsoka shook her head. "I'm sure I'm not in trouble Leia. Bail probably just has something important to tell me." Ahsoka knelt down and looked around suspiciously, a grin on her face and whispered to Leia. "Probably bought the Rebels!"

Leia giggled, jumping up and whispered back. "I wanna be a Rebel, like you Soka!"

Ahsoka laughed, an actual laugh, and sighed. "Oh Leia, I know for a fact you are gonna be _quite _the Rebel."

* * *

Ahsoka walked slowly into the library, taking in the red carpets and sodden walls and many, many books strewn across the room that could pass off for a small house. Bail was sitting in an arm chair, his head in his hand and a very tired expression on his face. Ahsoka gulped. Maybe she _was _in trouble.

"Senator Organa?" She asked, causing his head to snap up in her direction and a yawn to escape his lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ahsoka, I didn't even hear you come in." He rubbed his eyes and stood up. "I had something to tell you," Bail says it so sullenly, Ahsoka feels as if whatever he has to say won't be good.

"Perhaps, we should sit down." He suggests, taking his previous seat and letting Ahsoka take the one across from him.

Bail paused, as if considering something, and then clasped his hands together.

"I received a transmission this morning, and I've been putting it off but I think you should know that-" He sighed, looking about for a few moments while Ahsoka stayed silent, giving him time to gather himself.

"Bonteri was supposed to call in this afternoon, and he didn't. I know with the Empire it is extremely difficult to do... But I think he may be in danger."

Ahsoka froze, suddenly, it made sense why she had kept feeling that warning from the Force. "Danger?"

"We have other groups spread out across the galaxy and they all have not been able to get in touch with him or his team. But intelligence, and _not _ours, had said that his disappearance may have something to do with the Hutt family. But why and how is unknown. I don't know why, but if he has gotten himself tangled up with the Hutts in the past, then it will be very hard to get him out of his situation."

Ahsoka shook her head. "As far as I know, Lux had never been associated with the Hutts. There must be some mistake... I didn't even think his mission was to Hutt space."

"It wasn't," Bail agreed. "It was around the Sertar sector, but his mission was never to enter a planets system. But if our guesses are correct, his last distress signal went off in this area of the galaxy."

Bail stood, shuffled his way through the mazes of books and holos and activated the hologram projector in between them. A map of their entire start systems flashed into the library.

Pointing to a general direction, Bail looked back down at Ahsoka. "Around here."

Ahsoka stood and made her way over to Bail. Studying the area around the cluster of stars, she could only make out one familiar planet.

"Not Hutts," She realized, much to her dismay. "Pirates."

"Pirates?"

"Yes," Ahsoka pointed to the system nearest where Bail had shown the distress signal. "This is Florrum. More times then I would have preferred the Clone War had positioned me there. I know who has taken Lux and his crew."

Bail nodded and shut off the hologram. "Good. I'll start forming a rescue squad now."

"No," Ahsoka said, firm but soft. "These Pirates won't be any good to us if we provoke them. All they want is credits. They probably thought Lux had something valuable."

"So they just randomly attack ships? What kind of Pirates are they?"

"Sort of- unorthodox." Ahsoka sighed.

Bail let out a heavy breath. "So what do you think they have done with them?"

Ahsoka shut her eyes. "One of two things. One being that they try to sell them for money. Two being that they keep them prisoner."

"I don't see how keeping them prisoner would be any good. Bonteri and his men wouldn't give up the Rebel Alliance because of this."

"You're right." Ahsoka agreed. "It's a pride thing... Lux has always had it. But I don't think Honda and his men would pose as too big of a threat to our Alliance. I'm sure they want to get rid of the Empire just as much as we do."

"Bonteri doesn't know this though," Bail concluded.

"No, he doesn't."

Bail sighed and slumped back down into his chair. Ahsoka watched him patiently, wondering what his next move would be.

"If profit is all they require, we will have to give it to them." Bail decided, stroking his beard. "But we can't have anyone knowing about the Rebel Alliance. This almost seems like an impossible task."

Ahsoka thought a moment. The only possible way of rescuing Lux and his team without giving up who they were would mean making some sort of deal with none other than Hondo Ohnaka. It shouldn't be difficult, but if there was one thing Ahsoka had learned from Hondo was that you can always change your mind. Ahsoka wanted to scream. Nothing was going right. Rex was dying, Lux was in danger, and it was only a matter of sweet precious time before someone from the Empire found her and killed her.

"I'll go after Lux."

Bail paused. "Alone? Without help or support? Ahsoka I can't-"

"I won't be alone Bail. I know of people who can help me if things go from bad to worse. But I know these pirates personally, if I'm correct they think of me as a friend." Bail rose his thick dark eyebrow at this. "Ok," Ahsoka deided. "A sort of friend. It shouldn't be too difficult making arrangements for a trade. But I know they won't take anything from the Empire. They live on the Black Market."

Bail nodded. "Give me a day. I'll find something."

"Thats perfect." Ahsoka breathed. "A day is all I need as well."


	6. More Promises

_"I'm so glad that I did not have,_

_A sister in the past. _

_Its made me much for thankful,_

_For the sister I have at last."_

_- Author Unknown _

* * *

Ahsoka stood outside of Leia's door with hesitation. She didn't really know how the child would take the news of her leaving, and in all honesty, if it wasn't Lux who were in danger, Ahsoka wouldn't be leaving at all.

"I know I'm breaking my promise Padmé," Ahsoka mumbled, crossing her arms. "But you broke promises too. And I know you'll understand..." Suddenly her voice was very quiet. "I have to get him back."

As always, there wasn't really any response. But some sort of confirmation, and she always felt it whenever she spoke openly to her old friend like that- she knew Padmé was listening.

Ahsoka knocked lightly on Leia's bedroom door before opening it. "Leia?"

"Soka!" Leia exclaimed, jumping down from her bed and switching on the lights. "You haven't left yet!"

"No, but Leia I have to tell you something important."

This is when Leia's face drops and suddenly she isn't so cheerful. Her tiny brown eyes search Ahsoka's blue ones and without words, she seems to already know what it is. And that's what scares Ahsoka the most. Leia shouldn't be able to just constantly feel things the way she does. But she does, and there really is no stopping that.

"You're leaving?" She asks, her voice cracks the tiniest bit and she bury's her face in Ahsoka's chest.

"Just for a bit Leia. I promise." Ahsoka could faintly hear the chiding voice of Padmé as she said those words. "I just have to go visit some old friends."

"I don't believe you." Leia says accusingly, wiping away a tear. "I wish everyone would stop lying to me."

Ahsoka opens her mouth, almost ready to ask Leia what she means by that been then slams her lips together and decides against it.

"Alright," She sighs,"I'm actually going to find Lux. He got himself into a bit of trouble but it shouldn't be that bad."

The sadness vanished from Leia, and is suddenly, almost in a snap of a finger, goes to enthusiasm. "I want to come!"

"No."

"But Soka!"

"Leia," Ahsoka says sternly, and Leia stops her advances. Ahsoka almost cringes at the authority in her voice- she was turning into Anakin. "You can't come. And it isn't because I don't want you there, or because your too young or anything like that. It's because-"

Ahsoka has to stop herself. Leia is silent, waiting for an explanation but Ahsoka can't quite form one anymore.

"It's because..." Ahsoka sighs, "There are people, mean people, who don't like people like us."

"People like us?" Leia asks, shocked that there were such people, and balls her tiny fists in anger. "Why don't they like us?"

Ahsoka ponders how she can explain this to her without giving anything else away. Leia should be able to know, to know who she is, where she comes from, arhat she has a brother and that people don't like her because she could be a Jedi someday.

But that day will have to come later.

"Because you're special. I am too, and so were lots of others. But they aren't here anymore and it's because of the people who don't like us. And you can't tell anyone about this. It's our little secret, ok?" Ahsoka asked, making sure Leia understood.

"Ok." Leia promises, shaking her head vigorously and hugging Ahsoka.

"I have to go now. I'll be back in a couple days. Alright?"

Leia nodded her head sadly and then crawled back into bed, letting Ahsoka cover her with her bed sheets, tucking her in.

Ahsoka made her way for the balcony, ready to leave when she heard Leia call for her.

"Soka wait! I have to ask you a question!"

Ahsoka turned, stepped back into the room and sat in the side of the bed, waiting patiently as Leia ruffled her blankets. She was nervous.

"You can ask me anything you want Leia." Ahsoka said softly, smiling.

Leia doesn't look sure, but nods her head anyway and speaks.

"Did you know my daddy?"

For a second, time stops.

Ahsoka is staring at Leia with the most peculiar expression. Remembering the talk about Padmé, Ahsoka remembers that Leia won't easily be fooled by a lie. She probably already knows the answer to the question, but dark eyes are looking for confirmation that Ahsoka feels she can't really give.

But she does anyway.

"Yes, I did." Ahsoka said it suddenly, almost like a snap. She could feel a tear snipping at her eye.

"And- he died too Leia."

Leia nods, sinks back down into her bed and throws her arms up, silently asking for one more hug. Ahsoka leaned down, wrapping her arms around Leia and whispers to her, "And he was just like us, special."

Leia has the happiest smile on her face when Ahsoka breaks the hug and tucks her in once more. "I knew it..." She whispers, rolling into her stomach and shutting her eyes.

Ahsoka makes her way to the balcony once, ready to jump to the ground when she ears Leia call once more.

"Yes Leia?" Ahsoka asks, amused but tired.

"I love you!" She whisper yells, flipping back down once more.

Ahsoka smiled. "I know."


End file.
